Typically, firearm tracking systems have been very limited, often requiring complex manufacturing steps in order to enable a determination of whether a weapon has been used. These systems typically have issues with reliability, have poor performance (e.g., short battery life), lack the ability to add new features, and suffer other limitations.
The use of excessive force continues to be reported by the mainstream media and news, increasing the need for transparency and objective data collection. With the rise of smartphones and video recording, acts of violence are being documented and displayed instantly to millions of viewers. Police managers are often unable to prove a statement until hours or days after an incident, at which time many citizens have already drawn conclusions of the incident. This can lead to police mistrust and a call for accountability. Federal mandates have been issued in an effort to reestablish trust among the community and ensure that justice is served resulting in increased body camera adoption rates. Several issues have arisen with the use of body cameras, however, not only are body cameras expensive, officers have reported issues with functionality (e.g., they tend to fall off), and they have notoriously been known to fail to record when an incident occurs. This can force management and officers to return to self-reporting, which is a method entirely reliant on the individual. Uses of lethal force have also been known to go unreported, even when there is a loss of life. These issues and the lack of transparency provide an opening for a technological solution. Despite these issues, parties that use firearms, such as police (and other first responders), soldiers, security personnel, and others, are increasingly equipped with body cameras and other systems for tracking their locations and recording their activities, such as body cameras and other cameras and sensors that are installed in various locations throughout municipalities. The information collected can be used by dispatchers, command personnel, supervisors, investigators, insurers, risk managers, underwriters, and various other parties, such as to direct activities, provide forensic analysis, provide evidence, assist with training and risk management, assist with underwriting insurance policies, and many other purposes. However, body cameras are subject to significant limitations, including difficulty storing enough data and significant expenses involved in transmitting data from a camera over a network. Accordingly, a need exists for improved systems that involve recording and tracking activities of individuals, including more advanced methods and systems for tracking discharges from firearms and more advanced methods for taking advantage of available recording systems, such as body cameras.